I ask about the Dodge axles because most all I see is about using the Fords.

People usually don't use Ford axles in CJ's because the drop is wrong.

What width do you want to end up at? If you cut any axles all the way down to NT CJ, you'll be rubbing your tires on the front leafs at lock with 12.5" or more wide tires. The only way to avoid this is to run really low backspacing and if you're willing to do that, just run a wider axle with a normal wheel to take the stress off the wheel bearings. That and the work involved to cut down the axles will exceed the cost of just buying axles that are a better fit in the first place.

The tires I have are 32x11.5 so I guess rubbing dont sound like an problem. And the Front D30 on it 58" I think. A 60" wide would only help in the steering dept. I'm getting the axles for free so I was just kicking the idea around right now.

The tires I have are 32x11.5 so I guess rubbing dont sound like an problem. And the Front D30 on it 58" I think. A 60" wide would only help in the steering dept. I'm getting the axles for free so I was just kicking the idea around right now.

If the front is 58" wide, that would be a WT D30, which would be enough to keep your tires off the leaf springs.

Doesn't sound like they would be very "free" if they would require all that work and cost to swap in, especially if you'd then have to outboard your springs in the process of cutting down the axles. You probably could buy a set of factory D44's from another application from 58"-60", like from a Scout or Wagoneer, and be way ahead of the game.

The only set I have "ready to go" gets you 4.10's, a D44 rear, and a Detroit, but only a D30 front. Everything else I have would be good candidates but all would need to be built (but not cut).

If you're fine with staying at NT width, I have a D44 front housing that was cut down to NT width. Find yourself a DJ or intermediate CJ-5 D44 rear, and you'll be good. If you wanted, you could retube it to WT width and run an 86 CJ D44 rear or a Scout D44 rear with it. Anything else will require outboarding of your springs, a full-width kit (like the Poison Spyder kit I have) or other fabricating to move the diff over.

Deciding to outboard or buy a kit then opens doors to either Scout or Wagoneer D44's f/r that you would not have to cut down.

There are also 9" options for the rear, as the housings were narrower before 1970 or 72 (I forget). I have one of these sitting around, also.